Stringing pianos



(No Model.)

C. S. WEBER.

STRINGING PIANOS.

Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. VEBER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STRINGING PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,384, dated April 19, 1887.

Application filed April S, 1885. Serial No.1(1,ii99. (No model.)

T0 all whom z'fz? may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs S. WEBER, a naturalized citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stringing Pianos; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this Specification, in which.-

Figure lis a sectional view of the invention, in which view the reiiector is removed. Fig. 2 is a plan View. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the reflector in place. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the construction shown in Fig. 3. and Fig. 5 shows the improvement with a single bridge and with the reflector removed.

Referring to the drawings, Ais the primary string, B the secondary string, D the reflector, d projections on the reflector, E is the divisor, and c the rubber point of the latter, all of which will be described.

The object of the invention is to increase the volume and duration of sound obtained from the usual strings, especially in the upper or so-called treble notes of pianos. To this end I have invented the multiplex system of stringing these instruments. Besides the usual or principal strings of a piano-forte, this system employs additional or secondary strings,which are preferably a sympathetic continuation of the main string, and only separated from the same by the bridge; but such secondary Stringing is employed in this system only under the following conditions: First, a secondary string inno instance to receive the direct blow of the hammer; second, the sound produced by the secondary string to be like that produced by the primary one, there being no movable attachment in connection with these strings to change their toneto a higher orlower octave at the will of the performer; and third, continued strings to be at least equal in length to or a multiple of the main string. By eX- acting in every instance each of these three essential conditions the multiplex system fully distinguishes itself from others where secondary strings have been employed.

In order to more clearly explain the nature of this system I will in the following assume the length of the main string invariably as the unit. Besides, I will accept the tension of the secondary string to be equal to that of the main string. Accordingly, it' I make the length of the secondary string equal to that of the main or primary string it will vibrate in unison with the main string whenever this is excited by the blow of the hammer, as is done in a piano-forte. If I now give the secondary string two unit lengths it will form two equal (so-called ventral7) segments, each of these vibrating in unison with the main string, and as long as the secondary string contains an even number of units or is a multiple of the main string it will form as many segments as there are units contained in the length of the secondary string, and each segment will vibrate in unison with the main string whenever the latter is excited, thus increasing and enriching its tone. This law already indicates (what experiments have confirmed) that it will be advantageous to have the secondary strings contain as many units as possible. As I only begin to employ these strings about the middle of a piano, where the main string takes up half the available length for stringing, it is evident that to a continued string I cannot give here more than an equal length; but as I ascend the scale, and as the main string occupies a smaller fraction of the instruments length, I am enabled to gradually increase the proportional length of the secondary string until at the highest notes, even in a piano of ordinary length, this string contains twenty or more segments, each equal in length to the principal, and each vibrating by sympathetic unison with the same. Here the additional gain in richness and quality of tone, as well as in duration of sound, is such as cannot be approached by anyother known method of Stringing.

To further increase the brilliancy of sound obtained, I have invented an accessory ap-v pliance which I call the reiiectonH This is a bar running parallel and very close to the bridge without, however, touching it. This ICO bar is iirinly fastened to the frame or iron plate of the piano, and is'provided with as many projections as the corresponding bridge bears pins, each string being held in position by passing between a pin in the bridge and a projection of the reflector, instead of passing between two pins in the bridge, as is the case in the ordinary construction.

Two holes in the reflector might be substituted for the projections without, however, a material advantage. A reflector may be elnployed with the main as well as the secondary bridge; besides, it may be placed in front or behind any bridge. If placed before the Inain bridge, the notes of the instrument so constructed will be very long, but rather subdued. Placed after the bridge, loud but somewhat shorter notes will result. In connection with the secondary bridge a reiiector only can be placed before the same to produce its advantageous effect, especially in instruments constructed without the reflector, and in particular where the secondary string is of great length. Besides the short waves spoken of, I obtain a long one, corresponding to the whole length of the secondary string, and consequently sounding its prime tone. Though only faintly audible, this forms an unwelcome undertone to the note ofthe main string. To suppress this long wave without interfering with the short ones, I have invented the di` visor or clamp. This is a set of two small pieces of rubber, each piece having a convex side. They are, securely fixed at the first or last nodal point formed by the short waves. They touch the string with their convex side and hold it like a pair of tweezers, not permitting the long wave to be formed, while the short waves (only touched at their nodal points) will in no way be interfered with.

As the nodal lines are intended to be invariable for every string, it is obvious that the divisor must receive some firm support, which again should be well fastened on the framework of the piano.

In the foregoing I have assumed the tension equal in both sets of strings; but it is obvious that, according to a well-known physical law, I may, when necessary, correct a variation in tension by a corresponding variation in length. Lastly, it may be mentioned that, as it appears advantageous to employ two bridges in connection with these instruments, I have not specially mentioned those having only one bridge, although in cases where parallel strings are not employed the construction, with one bridge only, may be employed, and yet be a great improvement over such instruments where no kind of multiplicators are employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a musical instrument, a string divided by the bridge into primary and secondary strings, the secondary string bein g a multiple of the primary string and extended to the rear of the bridge, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a secondary string, forming a prolongation of the prime string and of a multiplo length thereof, of a divisor or clamp located at a nodal point of the secondary string, to prevent a whole wave tone of the secondary string without interfering with the short wave tones, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature iii presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES S. WEBER. lVitnesses:

P. B. TUnrrN, R. W. BrsHor. 

